Isaiah 9

Isaiah 9The Passion Translation (TPT)

A Son Is Born

9 No more gloom for those who are in distress! Although the Lord greatly humbled the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,[a] he will one day bestow upon them great honor—from the Mediterranean eastward to the other side of the Jordan[b] and throughout the Galilee of the gentiles.

2 Those who walked in darkness[c]have seen a radiant light shining upon them.[d]They once lived in the shadows of death,but now a glorious light has dawned![e]3 Lord, you have multiplied the nationand given them overwhelming joy!They are ecstatic in your presenceand rejoice like those who bring in a great harvest[f]and those who divide up the spoils of victory![g]4 For you have broken the chains[h]that have bound your peopleand lifted off the heavy bar across their shoulders,the rod the oppressor used against them.You have shattered all their bondage,[i]just as you did when Midian’s armies were defeated.5 Every boot of marching troopsand every uniform caked with bloodwill be burned as fuel for the fire.

The Wonderful One

6 A child has been born for us;a son has been given to us.[j]The responsibility of complete dominionwill rest on his shoulders, and his name will be:The Wonderful One!The Extraordinary Strategist!The Mighty God![k]The Father of Eternity!The Prince[l] of Peace!7 Great and vast is his dominion.[m]He will bring immeasurable peace and prosperity.[n]He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdomto establish and uphold it by promoting justice and righteousnessfrom this time forward and forevermore.The marvelous passion[o] that the Lord Yahweh,Commander of Angel Armies, has for his peoplewill ensure that it is finished!

The Lord Judges Arrogance and Oppression

8 The Lord decreed a word against Jacob, and it brought calamity upon Israel.

9 And all the people of Ephraim and Samaria knew of it. Their hearts filled with pride and they arrogantly boasted, 10 “Our brick walls may have crumbled, but we will rebuild them with dressed stones. Invading armies may have cut down our sycamore trees, but we will plant cedars in their place!”[p]

11 So the Lord Yahweh stirred up their enemies and strengthened Rezin’s foes,[q] and they came against the people. 12 Syrians[r] on the east, Philistines on the west—they came with bared teeth[s] and devoured Israel. Yet despite all this, his anger did not subside, and his hand of judgment is poised to strike them again. 13 For the people did not repent and turn to the one who struck them or seek the Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies.

Judgment Coming to the Leaders

14 In a single day, the Lord Yahweh cut off from Israel both head and tail, palm branch and reed. 15 The elders and dignitaries are the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail. 16 The leaders have led them astray, and the citizens are left in confusion. 17 That is why the Lord did not show pity to the young people or have compassion on their orphans and widows. For everyone was godless and did evil and each mouth spewed out wickedness. Therefore, the Lord’s anger has not subsided, and his hand is poised to strike them again.

Israel’s Tribes Turn Against One Another

18 Surely wickedness burned like an out-of-control fire, consuming thorns and thistles. It set ablaze the thickets of the forest with flames swirling upward in columns of smoke. 19 The land was scorched[t] because of the anger of the Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies. The people themselves became fuel for the fire, and no one showed compassion toward another. 20 With their right hands they snatched what belonged to others, yet remained hungry. With their left hands they stole food, yet they were starving[u] and even ate their own offspring![v]21 Manasseh devoured Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they turned against Judah.[w] Yet despite all this, the Lord’s anger has not subsided, and his hand is poised to strike them again.[x]

Footnotes:

Isaiah 9:1This was the region that first went into captivity during the Assyrian invasion in 734–733 BC. Yet this land was the first to enjoy the blessings of the ministry of Jesus, for his works were done among them. Their “honor” would be to host the life and miracles of the Prince of Glory, the Messiah. Isaiah is prophesying the ministry of Jesus that would reverse the curse over that region. In the place where devastation had robbed hope, he will appear. He chooses the places in our lives where we have the most disgrace and shame, and there he shines his light. Our past failures become prophecies of a future victory.

Isaiah 9:2Just as darkness and night have boundaries (Gen.1:4), so the Lord will cause gloom to end and the shadows to flee. He is the one who says, “It will last this long and not a day longer.” God begins in darkness and brings darkness into the day. The darkest thing in us will be bathed in his glory-light.

Isaiah 9:2See Isa. 55:8; Matt. 4:15-16; Eph. 5:8. This glorious light includes Jesus’ teachings, his miracles, and his pure life lived before the Father. Jesus Christ is a light of rescue for the lost, comfort for the hurting, wholeness for the broken, and escape for the captive. It is the light of joy, the light of revelation, the light of deliverance. Jesus’ birth signals an end of night and the beginning of morning.

Isaiah 9:3As the light of Jesus shines on the earth, it will bring in a harvest of joy and rejoicing. The people of God are about to arise and spoil the kingdom of darkness, even as Israel spoiled Egypt and went out rejoicing. God will cause our joy to overflow like those distributing loot after a battle. Great will be the conversions, the increase, and our rejoicing. Many sons will be brought into glory as the increasing Light of Dawn appears (Heb. 2:10). With both harvest and victory in battle, people rejoice in what God has done.

Isaiah 9:3The Masoretic text reads “You have magnified joy to everyone who receives the Light.” A sign of the moving of God among us to fulfill this promise is an outbreak of joy! He fills our mouths with laughter as a sign that the great ingathering of the harvest is here (Ps. 119:162; 126). The phrase “They are ecstatic in your presence” refers to the heart of worship God is releasing today. The gospel will always bring joy, and those who receive good news will rejoice (Ps. 67:4; Acts 8:8). This is the joy of the Feast of Tabernacles. The two great joys of the human heart come at a time of harvest and a time of victory. Human celebration at these two times knows no bounds. As the increase is brought in, victory is experienced. What greater joy is there in heaven and earth than when souls are saved?

Isaiah 9:6The “child” speaks of Christ’s humanity, and the “son” points to his eternal deity. This son would be born in a time of darkness, but he will bring the light of a new day to the hearts of men.

Isaiah 9:6The Hebrew word for “prince” is sar, formed from two Hebrew roots: a verb meaning “to wrestle, to fight” and another verb meaning “to rule or to govern (as royalty).” So combined, the Hebrew word sar is “warring prince.” Sarah, the feminine version of Sar, can be translated “a princess who is a warrior.” It is possible to render v. 6 as “A Wonderful Counselor is the Mighty God! The Everlasting Father is a Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:7Or “His authority will continually expand.” The Hebrew word misrah, found only here in vv. 6 and 7, can be translated “empire, governmental authority, dominion.”

Isaiah 9:7The Hebrew word shalom can be translated “peace, prosperity, wholeness, and success.” Perhaps all of these concepts are included in the shalom Christ brings us.

Isaiah 9:10Their attitude is basically “Even if God sends judgment, we will start over and be stronger and more prosperous than before,” not realizing that God will not lift his hand of judgment until they humble their hearts.

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